715001007 Rev. L

Performance Maintenance Protocol

ACQUITY UPLC® AutoSampler/IVD

ACQUITY UPLC® Sample Manager

ACQUITY UPLC® I-Class Sample Manager-Fixed Loop

nanoACQUITY UPLC® Sample Manager

µSample Manager-Fixed Loop

Waters system:
PM date:

Guidelines

This performance maintenance (PM) protocol outlines maintenance tasks you should regularly perform on Waters systems. Regular maintenance ensures optimum performance and uninterrupted trouble-free operation.

Schedule

Waters recommends that performance maintenance visits be performed once a year. Systems under heavy use or using aggressive solvents need more frequent maintenance. For detailed maintenance schedules, refer to the appropriate user guide located on Waters.com. Failure to follow the maintenance schedules as described in the user guide might result in unreliable operation and inaccurate laboratory results.

Safety considerations

Some protocols might involve removing instrument covers, exposing the performer to high voltages, high currents, and moving parts. This presents risks of electric shock or damage to the instrument. To reduce these risks, Waters recommends that these protocols be conducted by certified Waters field service engineers with access to the latest information on Waters products. Waters is not responsible for actions initiated by an unqualified performer. If you are unsure, have a Waters certified field service engineer conduct the performance maintenance activity.

Waters Quality Parts

Waters designs and manufactures Waters Quality Parts® to the same strict regulatory standards it uses for its high-performance Waters systems. Waters recommends using Waters Quality Parts for all maintenance activities. Failure to use Waters Quality Parts might compromise laboratory results and reliability.

Customer education

Waters offers courses on operating and maintaining its high-performance systems, as well as courses designed to help you maintain professional competency and further your knowledge in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and Waters data systems. For more information on available training courses, visit Waters Educational Serviceson Waters.com.

Qualification/compliance services

Waters Compliance Services help you achieve and maintain the regulatory compliance of your LC and MS instruments and software with a combination of expertise, compliant-ready systems and software, and a portfolio of services to ensure that you consistently obtain quality data. To learn more, visit Qualification/Compliance Services on Waters.com.

PM task overview

Table 1 is an overview of the PM tasks performed.

Note: For instructions on performing these procedures, refer to the online Help or the appropriate user manual on Waters.com.

Table 1– PM tasks

Inspect / Replace/rebuild / Verify
Firmware version / Sample needle assembly / Initialization diagnostics
Fan / Wash syringes / Calibrations and characterizations
Needle wash system / Sample syringe / Leak tests4
Column heater/cooler or column manager / Injector valve cartridge[1] / Set pressure diagnostic5
Error logs / Sample loop1 / Reset injection count
Needle-wash housing O-ring
Tubing and fittings[2]
Chassis air filter
Trap valve cartridge[3]

PM task descriptions

Performance maintenance consists of three task categories:

  • Inspect
  • Replace or rebuild parts
  • Verify

Note: If the instrument fails pre- or post-performance maintenance inspections or verifications, it might need additional service beyond the scope of this protocol. Such service might incur additional parts and labor charges.

Inspect

  1. If the instrument is off, power it on and allow it to complete software checks.
  2. Inspect the firmware and, if appropriate, update it.
  1. Ensure that the fan grate on the rear of the instrument is clear of debris and dust; clean if necessary.
  2. Prime the needle wash and wash the needle.
  3. Inspect the column trays for solvent residue and clean if necessary.
  4. Review error logs for any errors and troubleshoot as necessary.

Replaceor rebuild parts

Using the parts in the PM kit, replace or rebuild parts as necessary.

Note:For instructions on replacing parts, see the appropriate user manual on Waters.com.

Verify

After completing the maintenance tasks, verify instrument performance:

  1. Power-on the instrument and allow it to complete on-board software checks.
  1. Perform the calibrations and characterizations:
  • Calibrate the X, Y, and Zp axes (ACQUITY UPLC and nanoACQUITY UPLC only)
  • Calibrate the needle z-axis
  • Characterize the needle seal
  • Characterize the needle and loop volumes
  1. Perform the leak tests:
  • Sample syringe leak test
  • Wash syringe leak test
  • Needle seal leak test
  • Back-pressure regulator test
  • Dynamic leak test
  1. Set the pressure diagnostic (nanoACQUITY UPLC and µSM-FLonly).
  2. Record the current injection count, and then reset the injection count.

Results/checklist

A Waters field service engineer completes the test results, checklist, and confirmation sections.

Test results

Table 2– Firmware version

Firmware revision

Table 3–Calibrate X, Y, and Zp axes test results

X offset (mm) / Y offset (mm) / Zp offset (mm)

Table 4–Calibrate needle z-axis test results

Z offset (mm)

Table 5 – Characterize needle seal test results

Pass or fail / Pressure(psi) / Offset(mm)
Pass Fail

Table 6 – Characterize needle and loop volume test results

System volume with loop (µL) / System volume without loop (µL) / Loop (µL) / Needle (µL)

Table 7 – Sample syringe leak test results

Pass or fail / Test pressure
(psi) / Compressed volume
(µL) / Decompressed volume
(µL) / Start pressure
(psi) / End pressure
(psi) / Pressure change
(psi) / Average pressure leak (psi/sec)
Pass Fail

Table 8– Wash syringe leak test results

Syringe / Pass or fail / Test pressure
(psi) / Compressed volume
(µL) / Decompressed volume
(µL) / Start pressure (psi) / End pressure (psi) / Pressure change (psi) / Average pressure leak (psi/sec)
Weak / Pass Fail
Strong / Pass Fail

Table 9– Needle seal leak test results

Pass or fail / Compressed volume
(µL) / Decompressed volume
(µL) / Start pressure
(psi) / End pressure (psi) / Pressure change (psi) / Average pressure leak (psi/sec)
Pass Fail

Table 10 – Back-pressure regulator test results

Pass or fail / Start pressure (psi) / End pressure (psi) / Average pressure (psi) / Standard deviation (psi)
Pass Fail

Table 11 – Dynamic leak test results(ACQUITY UPLC and I-Class)

End point column (choose one) / Leak rate
(nL/min) / Pass or fail
Inject valve / Outlet of column
Pass Fail

Table 12 – Dynamic leak test results (nanoACQUITY UPLC and µSM-FL)

Leak rate (nL/min) / Pass or fail
Pass Fail

Table 13– Set pressure diagnostic test results (nanoACQUITY Sample Manager and µSM–FL only)

Solvent / Pre-sensor flow rate (µL/min) / Post-sensor flow rate (µL/min) / Pass or fail
A1 / Pass Fail
B1 / Pass Fail
A potential leak is indicated if the A1 solvent post-sensor flow rate is greater than 0.020 µL/min, or a difference between the pre-sensor and post-sensor flow rates is greater than 0.15 µL/min for the A1 and B1 solvents.

Table 14–Injection count

Injection count

Checklist

Note:Select N/A if the task does not apply.

Inspect

All inspect tasks completed / Yes No N/A
Comments:

Replace/Rebuild

Sample needle assembly / Yes No N/A
Wash syringes / Yes No N/A
Sample syringe / Yes No N/A
Injector valve cartridge / Yes No N/A
Sample loop / Yes No N/A
Needle wash housing O-ring / Yes No N/A
Tubing and fittings / Yes No N/A
Chassis air filter / Yes No N/A
Trap valve cartridge / Yes No N/A
Comments:

Verify

All verify tasks completed / Yes No N/A
Comments:

Performance maintenance confirmation

I confirm on behalf of
Company name
that this performance maintenance
procedure has been satisfactorily completed on:
Serial no.
Signed: / / Date:
Customer
Print name
I certify that the maintenance procedure has been successfully completed.
Signed: / / Date:
Waters engineer
Print name
Comments:
Waters Corporation
34 Maple Street
Milford, Massachusetts
01757 USA /
Waters, ACQUITY UPLC, The Science of What’s Possible, and Waters Quality Parts are registered trademarks of Waters Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
©2017 Waters Corporation. Printed in the U.S.A.

ACQUITY UPLC/nanoACQUITY/ACQUITY I-Class/µSM-FL1 of 9

[1] The injector valve cartridge and sample loop are not replaced as part of the μSM-FL performance maintenance.

[2] Applies to Sample Manager to column (ACQUITY UPLC only); and Sample Manager to BSM (ACQUITY UPLC and I-Class).

[3] nanoACQUITY UPLC only.

4 For ACQUITY UPLC and I-Class (non-IVD/IVD), perform the dynamic leak test when using ICS version 1.50 or higher.

For nanoACQUITY UPLC, perform the dynamic leak test when using ICS version 1.30 or higher.

For the μSample Manager-Fixed Loop, perform the dynamic leak test.

5 nanoACQUITY UPLC and μSM-FL only.